YouTube Partner Program overview

On January 16, 2018, we announced new eligibility requirements for the YouTube Partner Program. Once a channel reaches 4,000 watch hours in the previous 12 months and 1,000 subscribers it will be reviewed to join the program.

This is part of an effort to strengthen our requirements for monetization so spammers, impersonators, and other bad actors can’t hurt our ecosystem or take advantage of creators, while continuing to reward those who make our platform great. Get more details on the YouTube Creator Blog.

The YouTube Partner Program (YPP) lets creators monetize their content on YouTube. Creators can earn money from advertisements served on their videos and from YouTube Red subscribers watching their content. You can apply to join the YouTube Partner Program from your account in Creator Studio.

How to apply for the program

All YouTube creators can apply to join as long as the program is available in your country. Once a channel reaches 4,000 watch hours in the previous 12 months and 1,000 subscribers it will be reviewed to join the program.

This program threshold allows us to significantly improve our ability to identify creators who contribute positively to the community and help drive more ad revenue to them (and away from bad actors). These standards also help us prevent potentially inappropriate videos from monetizing, which can hurt revenue for everyone.

If your channel has previously been in YPP: When you reach the program threshold, your channel will be automatically re-evaluated under the new criteria. You can check your monetization status at Creator Studio > Channel > Monetization.

If your channel has never been in YPP: Follow the 4 steps to join the YouTube Partner Program from your account in Creator Studio. Once your channel reaches the program threshold, you'll be reviewed to join.

We'll email you to let you know as soon as the process is complete. You can also check the status of your application at Creator Studio > Channel > Monetization. The process may take up to several weeks.

Frequently asked questions

You need both. If your channel has fewer than 1,000 subscribers or fewer than 4,000 watch hours then it doesn't meet both requirements and will be removed from YPP on February 20, 2018.

The new requirement is for a channel to have 4,000 watch hours in the previous 12 months (ongoing) and 1,000 subscribers (total) before it will be reviewed to join the program. Learn what happens if your channel drops below the program threshold.

You can use theYouTube Analytics Watch time report to see your watch hours. The report defaults to showing watch hours in minutes, so make sure to change your view so that it shows watch time in hours. In the graph, click the Comparemetric drop-down menu, then choose Watch time (hours).

Channels that previously reached the new eligibility thresholds for the YouTube Partner Program and were reviewed and approved to monetize will not lose monetization just because they drop below 4,000 watch hours in the previous 12 months or 1,000 subscribers. YouTube does however reserve the right, at its discretion, to remove monetization from channels who drop below the new eligibility thresholds if their channel is inactive and not uploading or posting Community posts for 6 months or more.

Channels currently need to be in the YouTube Partner Program in order to access certain features. Here's how access may change based on the new YPP threshold.

Features not affected by YPP eligibility requirements

You do not currently need to be in YPP to use the following features (this list is not exhaustive):

Cards: All creators can use cards. However, linking to external websites from cards is a feature that is currently only available to YPP members. When YPP eligibility requirements are updated on February 20, 2018, channels that currently have access to these features will continue to have access even if they're no longer in YPP. We'll be building out new eligibility criteria for this external linking feature.

Creator Studio: You don't need to be part of YPP to use Creator Studio on YouTube.

Custom URLs: You don't need to be part of YPP to claim a custom URL. However, there are other requirements that you must reach.

End screens: All creators can use end screens. However, linking to external websites from end screens is a feature that is currently only available to YPP members. When YPP eligibility requirements are updated on February 20, 2018, channels that currently have access to these features will continue to have access even if they're no longer in YPP. We'll be building out new eligibility criteria for this external linking feature.

Live streaming: You don't need to be part of YPP to use live streaming. You just need to confirm that your channel is verified and that you have no live stream restrictions in the last 90 days.

Features affected by YPP eligibility requirements

You currently need to be in YPP to use some monetization-related features. When YPP eligibility requirements are updated on February 20, 2018, only channels that are in YPP will continue to have access to these features:

Monetization status is not used to inform how videos display on YouTube. If your channel is no longer in the YouTube Partner Program after February 2018, it does not mean your videos will be limited in search and discovery.

If it's determined that your channel is no longer eligible for monetization, your channel will lose access to all monetization tools and features associated with the YouTube Partner Program. Learn more about what to do if monetization is disabled for your channel.

You can keep uploading original content and building your audience on YouTube even if you're not in the YouTube Partner Program. You can re-apply to the program 30 days after suspension.